SleepNOvers

 

 I've had a couple people ask me about our stance on sleepovers after this post, so I decided to write a little more about it.  As a background, Phil and I both grew up with parents who allowed sleepovers at friend's houses.  Neither one of us had cousins living nearby, so all of our friends weren't family members.  We both have great memories of these sleepovers with friends...but also some really bad ones.  Both of us recall that sick feeling in the bottom of our stomachs the day after a sleepover where we tried to stay up for the whole night, ate too much junk food, and watched questionable movies.  I watched The Shining in 6th grade after my friend's mom asked the group of girls if we were all allowed to watch R-rated movies and I was too embarrassed to state otherwise.  That movie scarred me for life.  I also played with a Ouija board, did some stupid dares, and between the bus and sleepovers, I learned about everything controversial/morally questionable/swears/the birds and the bees, etc.  Phil tells of similar tales...nothing good happens after dark, hyped up on sugar and adrenaline, away from parents.  All of these things influenced our decision as to why we didn't want our kids to have sleepovers at friends houses.  

But there are two more points that sealed the deal.

Seven on Sunday

Jumping on Kelly's linkup a couple days late, but it's summer so nobody cares!

1)  Phil's summer camp is over!  Now he can enjoy his few weeks of summer before school starts :)  He always finds cool activities for the kids and this year had some real winners!  He had the local zoo members come with some animals, a huge blow-up whale that the kids could walk inside, a visit to the fire station, a trip to the ice cream store, the Marionite sisters visit, and lots of crafting and sports along with daily Mass and time for summer homework.  It was three weeks of fun and the kids were exhausted at the end of every day - exactly what summer should feel like!

2)

Now that camp's over, it's time for more beach days!

Well, at least until we see jelly fish, and then I'm sticking to pools.  The weather has been so cool lately that I'm hoping the water doesn't get hot enough for the jellies to come hang out.

The 6th Birthday of the 5th Kid

Alexander Blaise Martin turned 6!!

He started out the day by telling me he felt a little bigger (because he will be the biggest man one day, since he was the biggest baby - he thinks!) and then asked for donuts for breakfast.  Your wish is my command, birthday boy!  Phil brought all the kids to camp and Alexander got to visit with the firemen and spray the hose.  

At lunch time, all the kids sang to him, and later he said it was the best day ever because he "had to do no work today.  Zero work.  Just fun!"  Ahhhhh, I don't think feeding the dog twice a day counts as "work" but whatever makes you have a great day, buddy!

Marco...POLO!

Back in May, Phil was talking to the dad of one of JP's classmates when he mentioned how they love to take their family to a Polo game in the summer.  We never knew this was even a "thing" around here, and we certainly didn't feel like our family were exactly polo-watchers (insert elevated pinkie).  

A few weeks later, when we were discussing what to get my really-hard-to-shop-for-Dad (because he's so easy!  You know the type!)  for his upcoming 77th birthday.  I said we should just DO something with him instead of buying him another pair of shorts.  We remembered the fancy-schmancy polo thing and looked into it.

Wouldn't you know, these international polo games had been happening only 35 minutes away for 26 years, had games on Saturday evenings with VERY reasonable prices ($12 per adult, kids under 15 free!!!) and it was lawn seating where you just brought your own chairs and food.  Totally doable!

As luck (of the Irish) would have it, America was playing Ireland in July, the month of my father's birth!  We told him our plan, and headed off to the much anticipated polo match last weekend.  We arrived an hour early, and the place was mobbed!!  People set up tents and grills and had bottles of wine and it was so much fun!